Apparatus for operating phonographs and processing records therefor



Jan. 25, 1944. H. R. VAN DEVENTER APPARATUS FOR OPERATING PHONOGRAPHS AND PROCESSING RECORDS THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l A 'II/III/IIIIIIIII/II/A II! WIIIIIIII/(ll/II/IIIII as ze L5 2 m H A/ U y 5 m 4 v l a 1944- H. R. VAN DEVENTER 1 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING PHONOGRAPHS AND PROCESSING RECORDS THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V 1NVENTOR.. 5 x8. M- BY 2 M m fl 'ZTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 25, 1944 PARATUS FOR OPERATING PHONO' GRAPHS AND PROCESSING RECORDS THEREFOR Original application January 25, 1941, Serial No.

375,884. Divided and this application November 4, 1942, Serial No. 464,480

19 Claims.

This application isa division of application Serial No. 375,884, filed January 25, 1941, which has matured into Patent No. 2,313,851, granted March 16, 1943, and relates to improvements in Apparatus for operating phonographs and processing records therefor, and has for its object the provision of a phonograph instrument using a re-usable record blank-that is to say, a sound record may be recorded on the. blank, played back, the recording obliterated from the blank without removing any material therefrom, and another recording made thereon-and this process repeated indefinitely,

Another object is to provide a device of the character described in which the record blank remains in situ in the machine, and may be repeatedly used without shaving the blank.

Another object is to provide apparatus for processing a record blank for phonographs whereby the steps of recording on said blank, obliterating said recording, and preparing said blank for use again by heating the same while it remains in situ, may be carried out.

Other objects are the provision of apparatus for processing record blanks by obliterating the recording surface by heat wherein the length of time the blank is heated by apparatus associated with the phonograph, or the temperature to which the blank is heated, is prc-determined by such apparatus, or where the application of heat to the blank is controlled by the density thereof.

Other objects will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification and claims, where, by way of illustration, one embodiment of the invention herein disclosed and claimed is described and illustrated. It will be understood,

however, that the construction oi the apparatus may be varied in wide limits ,from that shown and described, without departing from the inventive concept as defined in the appended claims.

In the acompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the apparatus and circuits therefor for processing phonograph records as herein described;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of the circuits only or the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed view of apparatus used when the application of heat to the record blank is controlled by the density thereof;

Figure 4 is a diagram of an alternate method of connecting up the controls of the apparatus when using a timing device as hereinafter described; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the underside of the heater unit it of Figure 1.

a the machine to wipe out any sounds recorded thereon and prepare the surface of the blank for further recording.

In phonographs employing disc record blanks, it is necessary to change the blank when full, as no satisfactory means exist to remove the recording and use the blank. This is particularly true of record blanks for so-oalled home recorders which are commonly made of cardboard discs coated with suitable material on which the re- -cording is made.

With machines using cylinder blanks, such as the well-known Edison phonograph, it is possible to shave on the recording and use the'blank repeatedly, but the blank is gradually worn away and must ultimately be replaced. As the blank is shaved, it gradually disappears and the cuttings are thrown away. As a sound record is recorded, the cuttings are also thrown away, and in both cases no efiort is made to return these cuttings to the individual record from whence they came. 7

The herein disclosed apparatus eliminates the above difiiculties and provides a record which may be termed perpetual" in that it may be used over and over again while remaining in situ. By in sit as hereinafter used in this specification and the claims, is meant that the record remains in place associated with the recording and reproducing mechanism of the phonograph while it is treated in accordance with the method herein disclosed.

it will be obvious that this method may be ap-' plied to phonographs in which the record remains stationary while the recording and reproducing mechanism moves over it.

In Figure 1, the numeral l0 denotes the usual revolvable record table of a phonograph such as instead of merely supporting the usual blank, is made in the form of a shallow pan having an upstanding flange II. This pan is filled with any suitable material i2 upon which recordings can be made.

There are many suitable materials, usually sper cial wax compositions well known in the art, as

well as metallic and plastic compounds. To practice this method the material may be anything suitable that will soften sumciently when heated so that a recording made on the surface of the material may be obliterated by heating the upper surface of the blank until it is smooth, and then cooling the same to a proper condition for further For the sake of brevity this recording thereon.

sgsso, 161

commonly employs disc record blanks. This table.

10 ing current but also properly times the application record material'will hereinafter be referred to as a "wax," a term commonly used to describe wax like compounds used for this purpose.

If the record table is provided with a separable Joint it, whereby it is connected to the driving shaft it of the usual driving motor it, it could be lifted off the drive shaft and heated in any suitable manner, cooled and returned to the phonegraph. But this procedure would be objectionable in many cases; for example, in oflices and the like where no facilities exist for heating the record table and properly handling it, excluding dust,

etc., and maintaining the surface level while the wax is in liquid form, such procedure would be diiiicult and would prevent this method from be- -in: used, where the records would be handled by laymen.

of the heatto the wax. This is hereinafter termed the heating period, and this apparatus may also determine the cooling peri after referred to. a

When it is desired to process a. record, assuming a recording has been made which it is desired to obliterate, the heater unit I6 is. moved via the handle it (which may be of heat insulating material) to the position shown in solid lines in F13- herein! 2o ure 1 against the tension of the spring in hinge It. This operates the plunger 22, pushing the same downward against the tension of and closing the switch springs carrying contacts 23, 24. This completes a circuit from the current supply circuit -26, through the winding 21 of a thermostat 28, the contact 29 of which is normally closed, and through the winding 30 of a locking magnet, the pole piece 3| of which is in contact with the armature plate 32 attached to the heater 30 unit. As the armature plate is magnetically held a This method of lifting the record table of! the drive shaft and heating it may be used in studies and other places where the work is done by experts, and this disclosure, to-wit, that of providing a removable table holding a compound that can be melted and used over and over, is therefore use- 'ful although it is not the preferred embodiment of the broad idea.

The heating of the record can be done without removing the record table from the phonograph, and adverting to Figure l, which shows the record table in the usual position it occupies in a phonograph, an electric heater I6 is mounted so that it may be swung down and over the recording surface 'of the wax l2, the usual recording or reproducing arm (not shown) being moved out of the way. to permit this.

The heater unit l6 may be of any suitable type,

preferably a hot plate having a smooth heating surface adjacent the wax. If desired, an exposed coil type of heater may be used wherein the heating coil i1 is directly exposed to the surface of.

the wax. As there are many types of suitable heaters, no attempt'will be made to describe one in detail, such heaters being in common use in connection with waflie irons, smoothing irons, and many other appliances. 1

The heater unit it is mounted on a suitable sup. port l8 by means of a spring hinge l9, the'spring 20 being disposed in relation to the parts of the against the pole piece of the magnet by reason of the current flowing in the coil 30, the heater unit it is thereby held in heating period position, during which period current also flows from curas rent supply 25-28 via contacts 23, 24, the thermostat arm 28 and contact 29, and through the heating coil l'l, thereby heating the heater II which in turn heats the adjacent wax l2.

The current continues to flow as just described until the heating of the winding 21 of the thermostat causes the arm 28 thereof to move and separate from the contact 29. This opens the circuit through the coil 30, and the core II is de-magnetized, releasing the armature plate 32 secured to the heater unit I6 which is released and immediately moves (under the influence of the spring hinge iii) to the upper position shown in dotted lines 2i in Figure 1. At the same time it will be noted the circuit is opened through the heating coil ",so that immediately the heating unit it begins to cool. 1

Obviously, the length of time required for the thermostat arm 28 to move to open the circuit as just described, can be predetermined by the adjustment of contact 29, and the heating period" can, therefore, be regulated by adjusting the thermostat, or by any other means such for example as by introducing a variable resistance into the heater circuit.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be observed that there is a contact 33 which can only contact with the spring arm'23 of the switch mechanism controlled by the position of the heater unit, when the heater unit is in non-operating (upper) position, and that this contact 33 controls the operating circuit to the motor winding 34 in which circuit a manual switch 35 may be inserted if desired. Obviously, as long as the heater unit is in heating" position. the motor circuit will be open at contact 33, regardless of whether the switch 36 is open or closed and the motor cannot be operated; therefore the turn table i0 cannot be rotated and the wax l2 disturbed by rotation while the record is being processed. But as soon as the heating period" is terminated and the winding 30 releases the heater unit i 6, the circuit contacts until the wax is established through the contact 33 and then the motor 34 may be operated by closing the switch 35.

While the thermostat or thermal relay 28 may be so timed or adjusted that it will not open its I 2 is melted sufllciently to obliterate the recording thereon,'and at this point the control circuit is opened, thereby releasing the heater unit It and disconnecting the heating coil l1,-ii' this heaterunit (which will remain hot for a time if once heated) remained close to the wax, the residual heat .in it would keep the wax soft over a longer period of time than desirabla'and to shorten this cooling period so that the phonograph can be used without undue delay, the heater unit. is automaticallyv raised from the wax as previously described. As the pan or table In holding the wax can be made of thin material, or some non-metallic material, it will not store much heat, so that moving the heater unit away from the wax enables the latter to cool with comparative rapidity.

It will be understood that it is unnecessary to heat the entire body of wax. The application of sufficient heat to Just melt the upper surface is suficient-a slight application of heat will cause the wax to blush," whereupon the recordings will disappear, as they are very shallow.

Occasionally the entire mass of wax can-be melted in orderto insure uniformity, and at such time the cuttings which are normally made during recording can be placed on top of the wax l2 and melted therein so that but little ,wax will be lost over a long period of time. This thorough heating can be accomplished by adjusting the thermostat 28.

The "cooling period" can also be predetermined by adjustment of the "make period of the thermostat, or in any other marine With some materials, it may be desirable to control the application of heat to the record blank directly by the density thereof, instead of relying on the timing of thermostat 28. To accomplish this, the apparatus now to be described may be'placed in circuit with the thermostat.

Referring to Figure 3, the numeral 36 generally denotes a device that may be mounted upon the heater unit l6 preferably at the center thereof, as no recordings are made at the center.

This blank space in the record material can be utilized by placing in the center of the unit IS a bearing block 31 in which is slidably mounted the plunger 38, the bottom end of which is given any suitable formationf'to properly engage the upper surface of the wax I: when the heater unit isinheating position.

Obviously, as long as the wax is hard, the com tact members connected to the wires 39 and 40 will be held in engagement by the upward push ofthe stem of plunger 38 as it is held up by the wax 'i2 and the circuits through the winding 30 of the holding magnet and the heater coil H are closed. However, when the wax I2 melts, the plunger 38 will move downwardly therein, under the action of the spring contact member in contact therewith, thereby'permitting the contact members connected to 39 and 40 to open the circuit through the winding so and the heater coil i1. It will be observed that this opening is dependentupon the density of the wax l2 and cannot takeateuntil" tnawsx is soft enough to receive the plunger. I Y

At the end-of 'tlieoperaticn iust described, the

plunger 38 would be imbedded in the wax, as

1 shown bythe dotted line can be started.

.as the thermostat 2 8 .38 is used as soon clock is started. As long as quick upward jerk of the handle it of the heater unit on which the plunger carried will dislodge the plunger, leaving a small hole in the center of the wax disc. ter is not traversed by either the recorder or the reproducer, the presence of this hole is not objectionable.

A study of Figure 2 will reveal that as soon is operated (or if the device as it operates), while magnet coil 30 is deenergized and the heater unit ll released so it can tion, that the motor circuit is completed 'atcontact 33 and it is therefore possible to. start the motor. This is objectionable, because the wax I! may be too soft to take "cooling period" can be determined byadiusting the thermostat suitable cooling period Referring to Figure 4, the apparatus enclosed in the dotted line 42 represents diagrammatically any, suitable type of cyclic timing mechanism, such as an ordinary; clock ortimingdevice having a suitable switching mechanism such as that diagrammatically indicated at 43. When it is desired to start the heating apparatus, the switching mechanism is placed on the insulatedly mounted contact segment 44 and the contact, the circuit will be closed and current will flow through the winding 30 and the heating coil l'l, thus determining the heating period,

while the motor circuit will be open, as shown.

7 of this cooling period" member 43 makes contact with the When the member 43 onto the insulatedly mounted segment 45, the circuit through to and i1 motor circuit also remains open. The length depends upon the length or segment 45, and can therefore be predetermined. As the circuit is open through the motor 34, it is impossible to start the latter until the insulatedly the timing device at rest the circuit is motor 34, as shown.

mounted segment lcwhereon comes to rest, and while completed through the It will be observed from a study of the fore- 1' going figure that the arrangement described provides, first a heating period," immediately followed by a "cooling period, and'during both of these periods it is impossible to start the motor of the phonograph.

By introducing the mechanism shown in Figure 3 into the circuit Figure 4, as shown, it is of course possible to control the heating period" by the density of the wax II, as previously described. It will also be understood that if the timing arrangement shown in Figure 4 is used, it is not necessary to employ the switch mechanism, shown in Figure 1 as plunger 22; although if for sired to use contacts 23, 24, thereof, they may be serially included in the circuit as shown at 41, in Figure 4.

When, as. previously stated, the record table or container ill for the wax isremoved from the phonograph instrument of which it is a part, and

on the meltable material or 4| in Figure 3. but a contact mechanism is AS this cen move to non-operating posia recording. -wnne a.

28 as previously mentioned, the following means is preferred to insure that'a elapses before the motor 1 electric or spring-driven the movable member 43 of 43 and 44 are'in rides off the segment 44 I is opened, and the controlled by the any reason it is deby means of heat, this heat' the application of it is concerned to prevent overheating and perhaps burning the wax. Obviously, when the container is removed from the phonograph to perform this operation, no necessity arises to disable the motor circuit of the phonograph to provide a "cooling period as previously described, and this feature can be eliminated when the container is heated outside; obviously it would not be replaced in the phonegraph until the wax i2 is cool enough to record thereon.

, It will be obvious from the preceding description that the type of record is immaterial, provided it has a meltable surface on which sound recordings can be made by any suitable type or recorder-either by mechanical cutting or embossing or by any other means. An appropriate reproducer of any suitable type may also be used with these records in the ordinary manner.

Alsoit will be apparent that the heater I! can be combined with the container ll so as to form part thereof. In this event, a longer cooling period" will be necessary because the heater coil II and the surrounding material must cool as well as the wax l2 in contact therewith, so that the drawings show a preferred form of the invention, as with the movable heater as shown the "cooling period is considerably shortened, as

compared with any of the obvious modifications wherein the heater is combined and always rein heat exchange relation with the record or its support.

The separable Joint it can be of any suitable construction that permits the removal oLthe container in rotatable relationship to the driving shaft of the motor. The attachment of the joint II to the bottom of the container is preferably graph and adapted to be moved to heating position to overlie said surface to melt the same to obliterate sound recordings thereon, means tending to move said heater away from said surface to a non-heating position, holding means adapted to hold said heater in heating position, and automatic means for releasing said heater from said holding means to permit said heater to be moved to non-heating position by said first means.

5. The phonograph as. claimed in claim 4 wherein th means tending to move the heater to non-operating position includes spring and hinge members.

6. The phonograph as claimed in claim 4 wherein the holding means adapted to hold the heater in heating position includes cooperating parts carried on said heater and some other part of said phonograph.

7. The phonograph as claimed in claim 4 wherein said automatic means includes an electrically operated thermostatically controlled device.

, record adapted when cold to receiv sound recordings and having a meltable surface, a heater I 1 adapted to apply heat to said surface to obliterate liquid-tight so that all the wax can be liquefied therein without finding egress at this point. The motor i5, heater l5 and its support i9, 2d, the coil 30 and the contact mechanism 23, 24, 33, and, if desired, the thermostat ll, 29, can all be mounted upon a common base 48 in any suitable manner.

Obviously each phonograph can be provided with spare containers so that when one of them is in use on the machine, the records on others can be processed as herein described either i situ or by removing the containers. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a phonograph, in combination, a record blank having a meltable surface adapted to receive sound recordings when cold, and a heater adapted to overlie all said surface to heat the same to obliterate sound recordings thereon.

2. In a phonograph, a record blank having a meltable surface adapted to receive sound recordings when cold, a heater movably mounted in respect to said record upon said phonograph and adapted to overlie said surface to heat the same to obliterate sound recordings thereon, and means for automatically moving said heater away from said surface upon completion of a predetermined heating period.

3. In a phonograph, a record blank. having a meltable -surface adaptedto receive sound recordings when cold, means for heating said surface to obliterate sound recordings thereon ineluding an electric heating coil, a current supply a recording thereon, electric means for heating said heater, and means adapted to bear upon said surface and yieldingly supported thereby adapted upon a change in density therein to control the application of said electric mean to said heater.

10. A unit electric heater of the class described.

comprising a member adapted to overlie and coniormto all of the recording surface or a phonograph record, anda heating coil in heat exchange relation to said member and supported thereby.

11. The unit electric heater as claimed in claim 10 wherein said member is provided with supporting means including a spring-joint adapted to support said unit in non-heating relation with a phonograph record.

12. In a phonograph. a record having a meltable surface adapted when cold to receive sound recordings, means for-melting said surface to obliterate recordings thereon, an electric circuit a for energizing said means, and timing means in said circuit controlling the energization of said means whereby the application of heat to the recordiscontrolled.

13. In a phonograph, an operating motor, a record having a meltable surface adapted when 3 cold to receive-sound recordings, electrically operated means for melting said surface to obliterate recordings thereon, a current supply circuit for said motor and said electrically operated means, and control means in said circuit for timing the current flow through said electrically operated means and said motor circuit, respectively and in sequence.

14. In a phonograph, an operating motor, a motor circuit, a record having a meltable suriace' adapted when cold to receive sound recordings, an electrical heater for melting said surface to obliterate recordings thereon, a heater circuit, a; supply circuit common to said motor and heatah circuits, control means connected to said supply.

circuit for first energizing the heater circuit while said motor circuit is de-energized, secondly deenergzing both said motor and heater circuits and thirdly, energizing said motor circuit only after a predetermined elapsed time period.

15. In a phonograph, a liquid-tight record conadapted to overlie said meltable surface and movable away from same to permit removal of said container from the phonograph.

. 17. In combination, a meltable record blank having a surface adapted 'to receive sound recordings thereon at ordinary room temperatures and without the application of heat thereto, means for recording sound upon saidsurface including a member contacting said record and at substantially the same temperature as the record, and means for obliterating recording on said surface including a source of radiant heat positioned adjacentto but out of contact with said record,

whereby the recorded surface of said blank will be melted by said heat while the body of said record below said surface remains substantially unaflected thereby.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 17 including means for predetermining' the amount,

of heat applied to the surface of said record blank.

19. The combination as -claimed in claim 17 wherein said record blank has a support and said heat source has a support separated from .said

record support whereby. said heat source may be moved toward and away from said record audits support.

HARRY R. VAN DEVENTER. 

